Reduction of the forest fund as a result of illegal activities of the local authorities and as a cause for protection of the environmental rights of citizens in administrative courts

Abstract

One of the environmental problems in Ukraine, with which are faced residents of territorial communities, is a gradual destruction of forests and the location of various objects of residential or industrial character within their territories. The purpose of the research is to carry out a legal assessment of the situations arising in Ukraine in connection with the transfer of forests to the category of green areas by local selfgovernment bodies. In the paper the model is formulated for carrying out a legal assessment of situations and modelling protection of citizens` rights in forest and land relations that have arisen in connection with the transfer of forests to the category of green spaces by changing the purpose of lands of forest fund into another categories by local selfgovernment bodies. In disputes concerning the implementation of environmental law by citizens (in particular, safe environment), any citizen of Ukraine should be considered a proper plaintiff in court without any restrictions on the territorial relationship (land plot and place of residence of the citizen).